NEW ORLEANS — Doctors don’t know why eating crawfish or buffalo fish sometimes causes the rare muscle-destroying illness that recently sickened three members of one Mississippi family. But they believe Haff disease is caused by eating bottom-feeders that have eaten the roots of a wetland plant called water hemlock. The three people who became ill […] [...]

ACROSS MISSISSIPPI — Health officials say flu is more widespread across the nation, but the number of hard-hit states has declined. Flu season started early this winter, and includes a strain that tends to make people sicker. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said flu was widespread in 47 states last week, up from […] [...]

ACROSS MISSISSIPPI — The early start to flu season that’s sweeping the country hasn’t spared Louisiana and Mississippi. While the outlook for the rest of the season isn’t clear, experts are encouraging people to take precautions such as getting a flu shot and making it a practice to wash hands often to prevent the spread […] [...]

ACROSS MISSISSIPPI — Health officials say flu season is off to its earliest start in nearly 10 years — and it could be a bad one. The primary strain circulating is one that tends to cause more severe illness, especially in the elderly. But officials with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said the […] [...]

ACROSS MISSISSIPPI — Research revealed during “Get Smart Week” shows that California joined Alaska, Hawaii, Oregon and Washington as the five states with the lowest antibiotic use in the nation in 2010. “Get Smart Week” is a national partnership launched by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to promote the appropriate use of […] [...]

ACROSS MISSISSIPPI — The nation’s diabetes problem is getting worse, and the biggest jump over 15 years was in Oklahoma, according to a new federal report. It is Mississippi, though, that still has the highest rate of diabetes. The diabetes rate in Oklahoma more than tripled, and Kentucky, Georgia and Alabama also saw dramatic increases […] [...]

ACROSS MISSISSIPPI — The Mississippi State Department of Health is reporting three new human cases of West Nile virus, the lowest weekly total in months. The new cases were reported in Jones, Lincoln and Simpson counties, bringing the state total to 236 cases and five deaths. This is the highest number of WNV cases ever […] [...]

LONG BEACH — The Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ), through its Beach Monitoring Program, has lifted a beach closure issued August 31 after Hurricane Isaac made landfall. Reopened is Station 7A in Long Beach, which extends from Oak Gardens on the west to Girard on the east. Water samples show the area has attained […] [...]

MADISON COUNTY — A fifth victim of West Nile virus has died in Mississippi. The Mississippi State Department of Health said someone who had earlier been infected in Madison County has died, bringing the state’s 2012 death total to five. The state also reported 14 new cases Monday, pushing the year’s total to 200. That’s […] [...]

ACROSS MISSISSIPPI — The state Department of Health is reporting 17 new human cases of West Nile virus, bringing the total to 186 cases and four deaths. In 2011, Mississippi had 52 West Nile virus cases and five deaths. The health department only reports laboratory-confirmed cases to the public. The Clarion-Ledger reports the new cases […] [...]